Taking Chances
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: A collection of drabbles about Charlie and Hermione, throughout their relationship. Written for Flying Lessons on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) fourm. Will be 12 chapters.
1. Kicking Off

**Title:** Taking Chances  
 **Rating** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 883  
 **Summary:** Charlie convinces Hermione to take a chance on him.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Competition: **Transfiguration - Write about something that is difficult to do. It can be anything from telling someone something to someone overcoming fear. The possibilities are endless.

Astronomy - Looking at the stars is romantic - so write a romance.

Prompts Used - Emotion: Trust, Mood: Intimate, Era: Trio, Action: Kiss, Genre: Romance, Closing Sentence: He smirked., Word Count: 888, Lower Word Limit: 725, Upper Word Limit: 999

 **The 'More Than a Name' Challenge:** Character Used - Charlie Weasley

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Mischief

* * *

Hermione is staring up at the stars, her bum comfortably on the grass in the yard behind the Burrow. She wears a frown while her mind works through everything she knows about her potential boyfriend and wonders if there's truly any possibility for them to have a future.

The potential boyfriend in question comes and sits next to her. He seems to get comfortable as he bends his knees and rests his arms on top of them.

She meets his deep blue eyes and swallows when she sees them dancing with mischief. "So, are you thinking about the pros and cons of being with me?"

Hermione blushes. "Maybe," she mutters, absentmindedly playing with her hair before dropping her hands.

He nudges her with an elbow. "Does looking at the stars help you?"

"It makes me feel peaceful, like my mind quiets in the face of the vast sky, especially with all of the twinkling stars."

"I was never any good at Astronomy, never had the patience for it. I know you were probably good at it – Merlin, you were probably _great_ at it – with your brain, but did you like it?"

Hermione scrunches up her nose. "Not really. I enjoy looking at the stars, but I didn't really care about the names of constellations and other things in the night sky."

Her hands lay flat on top of the grass, and she's startled when his much larger hand envelops one of hers, resting on top of it as if to keep it warm. "What are the stars telling you about me and you?"

"Not much," she morosely admits.

"What are you so afraid of? What's the worst that can happen if you give me a chance?"

She turns her head over so it's palm up and returns Charlie's hold. "I get my heart broken."

He leans forward, lips a hairbreadth away, so when he speaks, she can feel his breath fan over her face. "I'd never purposefully hurt you."

"I know. You don't have it in you to be intentionally cruel. It's just that there's so much we haven't talked about."

"Like what?"

Hermione bites her bottom lip; her whole body aches with a desire to kiss him. "Like where are you going to live? My home is here in Britain with my friends. You live in Romania with dragons. You were only here for the war, but it's over now. Are you planning to stay here, or are you going back to Romania?"

Charlie looks down at their interlocked fingers. "Truthfully, I haven't thought about it. I'm not ready to go back to Romania, not with the loss of Fred so recent; my family needs me right now. I also can't say it's not a possibility in the future as I love my job on the reserve. We can talk about it when we get to that point, though. We can live our lives based on what-ifs."

"Those what-ifs are important, though. They can make or break a relationship."

"I know, but I tend to live in the now and not worry about the future until it arrives."

"That makes it the present, _the now_ , as you so eloquently said. I _need_ to know what's going to happen," she implores.

"No one knows what's going to happen unless they're a seer. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you can't have supreme control of your future, not where relationships are concerned at least. You just have to believe me when I saw any decision we make, we'll make together."

"And what if we can't compromise?"

"Then we might have to go our separate ways. It's a harsh truth, but it's a truth all the same. Just know I think we have something genuine, something that might be able to last. You're the first girl I ever thought I could see a future with."

"I wish I could trust you and believe that I wouldn't get my heart broken, but I'm scared."

"I know, but trust in my feelings for you."

"I would like to, but I need a sign." Hermione looks up just as a shooting star zooms across the sky.

"Is that enough of a sign for you?"

"Maybe." She leans forward, and they share their very first kiss. What makes it better, more romantic, is that it's under the stars. Hermione closes her eyes, loving the taste of him. It's everything she thought it would be like. When she pulls back, she's smiling. "Remember, you have to be patient. I tend to over think _everything_. It gets kind of annoying for people around me." She smiles, her hand clutching his shirt.

Charlie shrugs, cupping her cheek with a gentle hand. "That's okay. I like girls who over think. It makes it even more fun to teach them how to unwind and enjoy life."

He kisses her again, groaning as her lips respond eagerly. What she lacks in experience, she certainly makes up for in enthusiasm. Her fingers tangle in his hair so he can't pull away.

When air becomes an issue, she reluctantly breaks the kiss. "I think I'm beginning to learn how to relax," she says unevenly, her breath coming out in harsh pants. She knows her cheeks are flushed, but all she sees is Charlie.

"I'm glad." He smirks.


	2. A Good Landing

**Title:** A Good Landing  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 662  
 **Summary:** Hermione asks Charlie a dangerous question.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons -For the second chapter of your collection, I would like you to consider the theme of misunderstanding. There should be a visible conflict between your pairing in the story, or even a conflict between your pairing and another person. As with landings, things can quickly go wrong, resulting in a poor landing. However, you can quickly get back on your feet and recover, and this should reflect in your story!. Prompts Used - Ending Sentence: (narration) [He/She] smirked., (plot) A major argument

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Competition:** Flying - Prompts Used - demonic, free, squeeze, astonishing, minor, able, phobic, rat, food, insidious

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Abroad

* * *

"Did you think she was pretty?" Hermione asks, her voice edging to insidious. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she impatiently taps her foot against the hardwood floor.

Charlie looks up, astonishing blue eyes are lit up in his shock. Right then, his girlfriend seems a bit demonic in her anger, and he finds himself slightly afraid. He knows it's a landmine right now, and he needs to be careful where he steps. Otherwise, she might blow up in his face.

One hand is holding his broom, but with his free hand, he reaches to squeeze her hand in a way that's supposed to be comforting. "Of course not." There's a minor inflection in his voice and normal people wouldn't pick up on it.

Hermione's not normal, though. "You're lying."

He sighs dejectedly. He's pretty much a phobic when it comes to arguments. Most of the time, he does his best to avoid them – he's a pacifist at heart – but it looks like Hermione isn't going to allow that this time.

He doesn't want to rat himself out, uncover her Hermione's eyes and show her that he's a guy, and he can't help but notice pretty girls, but he knows Hermione appreciates honesty more than most things. And besides, he has never been able to truly lie to her.

He stands up and places the broom against the wall. "Do you want some food?"

"Don't change the subject," she orders.

When Charlie tries to go to the kitchen, she moves to block his path. Her hands go to his chest and she pushes. With his heavy weight, he doesn't move that much, but the push is enough that he stops trying to walk away from her. "Hermione..."

"Did you think she was pretty?" she reiterates.

Charlie wraps his arms around her waist. "Yes," he answers honestly.

Tears well up in her eyes as Hermione averts them away from Charlie's imploring orbs. Her gaze focuses on his strong chest. "Oh, I see." She tries to push away from Charlie, no longer interested being in close proximity to him.

Charlie takes her hand as she tries to walk away.

"Let me go," she orders.

"No. I want to be honest with you, so I have to admit that I did think she was pretty. I don't want her, though. No one is better than you in my eyes."

Hermione looks up. "Really?"

"Of course."

"She flirted with you and you didn't let her know you were unavailable. You liked the attention," She accuses, a frown marring her beautiful face.

He shrugs. "I can't deny that I did like a pretty girl flirting with me. It kind of inflated my ego. I would never consider doing anything with her, though. Not when I have the girl I love by my side every night."

"Even if you weren't interested, you were leading the girl on. Not to mention that it made me feel horrible."

Charlie leans down and presses a kiss to her neck, right at the spot that always makes her whimper. His lips lightly brushes against her neck as he says, "You're right. It was disrespectful to my girlfriend, my love. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"I guess."

Charlie pulls away and can see Hermione still doesn't look like she's fine with everything. He thinks quickly about the best way to reconnect with her, the best way to make her feel special, as if she's the only girl in the world for him. An idea comes to him. "How about we go on vacation? Maybe abroad? Just the two of us."

Hermione throws her arms around his neck and plants a large kiss on his lips. "I hate fighting," she murmurs.

"Me too, but I do like the making up part."

Hermione grins, already thinking about the multiple ways they can make up on their vacation. "True. Maybe we should fight more often."

He smirks.


	3. Speed

**Title:** Speed  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 753  
 **Summary:** Hermione and Charlie talk about a burning question.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For the third chapter of your collection, I would like you to consider the idea of relationships moving too fast. Perhaps a character is worried that the relationship may have progressed too quickly, or maybe a character is moving too quickly for the other character. Maybe they have jumped into an early marriage or gotten pregnant too soon. Speed and moving fast should be the theme here! Prompts Used - (dialogue) "Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it.", (object) a Muggle computer

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Dazzling

* * *

Hermione types busily on her computer. She tries to work on it when Charlie isn't around because the Muggle device still endlessly baffles him, and he gets petulant if her attention is focused on it. On the other hand, Arthur, while confused by such a contraption, finds it extremely interesting. The Weasley patriarch is prone to dropping by every now and then to play with it, and each time, she has to remind Arthur to not use magic on it. Otherwise, the circuit board might be destroyed and not even magic would be able to fix it.

Right now she's using it to distract her from what currently preoccupies her mind. She knows she can't distract herself forever, but right now, she's enjoying pretending like everything's great in her life, especially when she fears everything around her is about to crumble to the ground.

The sound of the floo alerts her that the time for distraction is officially over, and she pushes away from her desk.

When Charlie enters the room, Hermione stands up, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her eyes. All the while, she averts her gaze, afraid her eyes will give away her uncertainty.

Charlie chuckles. "Is there a reason you're dazzling eyes are not gazing upon me? Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione shakes her head and takes a deep breath, steeling herself for the upcoming conversation. "We have to talk about your question."

Charlie's easygoing smile fades at the seriousness of Hermione's tone. "What about it?"

"I've thought about it, and I think it's too soon."

Charlie steps forward and takes Hermione's hand, leading her to the plush couch. They sit side by side, their knees touching as their bodies naturally angle towards each other. "Too soon? You do realize I'm not proposing marriage, right?"

Hermione smiles but it's forced. "I do, and I definitely appreciate that. There's no way that I'm ready for marriage. At the same time, we've only been dating for six months. You have to believe it's too soon to live together."

"I don't, though. If I know what I want, I go for it. Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it. To me, you're perfection, and I can't help but want to move our relationship along a bit."

Hermione blushes at his words, but she still can help the niggling doubt. "But moving in together? Isn't there something before that?"

"If you can think of an in-between step, I'll do it."

Hermione looks at her hands and grudgingly admits, "I can't. It doesn't mean we have to move in together, though."

"What are you scared of?"

Hermione quickly looks up into Charlie's eyes and schools her features. "Are you forgetting that I'm a Gryffindor?"

"Are you forgetting that I know you better than almost anyone?" he counters.

Hermione's lets out a breath of air in a whoosh and knows he's right. The only other person who may know her better than Charlie is Harry. "What if we move in together and discover we can't live together? Maybe we only work because we don't live together."

Charlie cups her cheeks. "There's a possibility of that. We might very well kill each other, but isn't it better to know that now? And if I'm being perfectly honest, I don't think we'll have a problem living together."

"Why not?" she whispers, leaning into Charlie's warm palm.

"Well, I'm not a slob and I believe in sharing the responsibility of chores. And I find your need for everything to be in its place absolutely adorable instead of annoying. And all I want is to be able to go to sleep next to you every single night and wake up with you in my arms every single morning."

Hermione's breaths come in short bursts as his words create a picture in her head, one that involves Hermione and Charlie completely happy in a domestic setting. "That sounds nice."

Charlie smiles, leans forward, and bestows a slow kiss on Hermione's lips. They savor each other's taste and both of them are reluctant to pull away from each other. Still, air is an annoying necessity.

"So," Charlie breathes, resting his forehead against hers. "What do you say? Want to move in with me?"

Hermione still has doubts, but she can't deny that Charlie has erased some of the larger ones that have run rampant through her mind. Taking a deep breath, she decides to take the plunge. "Yes, I'll move in with you."


	4. Endurance

**Title:** Endurance  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** Miscarriage  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 1,115  
 **Summary:** Something Bad Happens.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For the fourth chapter of your collection, I would like you to consider the idea of endurance and hardships. Perhaps your characters have come to an obstacle in their relationship that is a considerable difficulty, such as the death or loss of a family member or friend, maybe someone was assaulted or abused, or perhaps physical or mental illness has come into play. Both of your characters should visibly be experiencing and feeling the difficulty of progressing through this hardship. Prompt Used - "You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham." - _Fake Tales of San Francisco, Arctic Monkeys, (_ plot) A family member/friend dies

 **The Getting Around Challenge**

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Faith

* * *

 _"You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham..."_

Hermione smiles dreamily; the songs bring her to wakefulness slowly but steadily. Her eyes stay drooping, but she tilts her head, trying to find the source of the music.

She doesn't see it (probably somewhere outside of the room), but her eyes do land on Charlie. He's slumped in his chair, head tilted back and mouth handing open. His hair is in disarray, and his arms hang at his side. It looks like a very uncomfortable position, but he doesn't twitch at all.

She looks around, trying to figure out where she is. The white rooms, clean smell, and uncomfortable bed indicate she's at a hospital. Her hands form fists on the bed, and she tries to remember what happened.

She had been running, Charlie playfully chasing her throughout the house. She was racing up the stairs and her foot landed on a step the wrong way, causing her to fall down. She must have blacked out because she doesn't remember anything else.

She lethargically lifts up her hand, belatedly realizing she's a bit drugged from medication, and massages her head. She wonders if she has a concussion and knows that the idea makes sense. Why else would she be in a hospital and drugged?

"Charlie..." she says.

Her boyfriend doesn't stir.

Hermione takes a deep breath, readying herself to speak louder.

Before she can open her mouth, a nurse breezes in. "Oh, you're awake."

Hermione nods and her eyes go to Charlie.

The nurse understands and shakes Charlie's shoulder. "Mr. Weasley, wake up. Your girlfriend is awake."

Charlie opens his eyes quickly, and she smiles at him. She frowns when he doesn't return the smile.

There's a beat of silence and when neither Charlie, nor the nurse, say anything, Hermione nervously asks, "So, do I have a concussion?"

The nurse's eyes are sad. "I'm afraid not, sweetie."

"Why do you sound so regretful? Isn't that a good thing?"

The nurse looks down at her clipboard. "In most cases, yes, but in this case, a concussion would be preferable. Listen, I'm going to check your vitals, but then I'm going to leave you and Charlie alone. You two need to talk."

A feeling of dread washes over her and suddenly she doesn't feel as drugged. "About what?"

She doesn't get any answer.

The nurse does whatever she needs to do, checking off things on her clipboard. When she finally leaves, after what seems so long, Charlie and Hermione don't say anything right away.

Hermione isn't one to stay silent for long, though. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Charlie had been staring at his hand, but he finally looks up and meets Hermione's eyes. His blue eyes are awash with pain.

"Charlie? Please, tell me. You're scaring me."

"Hermione, this isn't easy to say..." He trails off, seemingly unable to find the right words.

Hermione gulps. Charlie isn't one for dramatics, so she knows this has to be bad. "Please, whatever it is, just say it."

He takes her hand, his thumb rubbing her knuckles soothingly. The action has the very opposite effect that's it's meant to. "Hermione, do you remember falling on the stairs?"

"Yes," she whispers. She doesn't say anything else, terrified about what he's about to tell her.

"I took you to the hospital because there was blood. I was worried about internal bleeding or maybe even the fact that you might have cracked your head..."

"Charlie, please, the suspense is killing me. Get on with it."

He picks up her hand and presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "Just remember, that I love you."

"Charlie!?" she cries, a hint of desperation in voice.

"Hermione, the blood was because... Hermione, you had a..."

"A what?"

"A miscarriage."

It's so quiet that Hermione thinks, and hopes, that she misheard it. The look in Charlie's eyes makes her believe that her hearing isn't faulty. "How? I mean... we weren't trying. We used to contraceptives..."

"Not 100% effective," he needlessly points out. Of course, Hermione knows that.

Hermione feels at a loss, unable to comprehend that she had a baby growing inside of her and now she doesn't. "I can't..."

Charlie sits on the bed next to her and takes her into her arms. "I know. I know."

"My baby is dead."

"I know," he mutters, lips against her head.

"How can I miss something that I didn't even know about?"

Charlie holds her as close as possible. "Because it was our baby, and if we had known, that baby would have been the most loved baby in the world."

"Was it a boy or girl?" She asks.

"It was too soon to tell."

Tears finally come, and she clutches onto his shirt. Her body shakes with the force of her sobs, and Charlie stays silent, holding her throughout her breakdown. "It's not fair! What did we do to deserve this?!"

Her lips brush against his chin and she tastes salty wetness. She looks up at him, and her heart clenches at the raw pain that is held is Charlie's face.

"It's not fair," he agrees. "Nothing like this is _ever_ fair."

Hermione nods and they hold each other, breaking down with the only other person that can possibly understand right then and there.

They tire themselves out and lay down on the too small hospital bed. Charlie's legs dangle awkwardly off of the bed, but they stay clutching each other. Both of them know that their family and friends will probably want to see them, but neither of them are ready to put on brave faces and face good-intentioned well-wishes.

"Will we ever be okay?" she asks, a quiver in her voice.

Charlie kisses her forehead. "I have to have faith that we will get through this. We just need to stay together."

She places a hand on her stomach and wonders what their child would have looked like. Would he or she have had curly brown hair or straight red hair? Maybe it would be a mixture of the two: curly red hair or straight brown hair? Would there have been brown eyes or blue eyes? Would their child love knowledge and school or be more adventurous and athletic?

"I wish..."

She can't finish, but she doesn't have to. Both of them wish things could have been different. They wished they'd be welcoming their child in eight months. They wish they knew whether it was a girl or boy.

No amount of wishing can ever undo what has been done, though, and if they want to survive, they need each other.

Hermione holds Charlie tighter, promising, if only to herself, to never let him go.


	5. Quidditch

**Title:** Quidditch  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 1,066  
 **Summary:** Draco tries to cause trouble, but they survive.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For the fifth chapter of your collection, I would like you to think about game-playing in relationships. Sometimes couples end up in a situation where one or both of the participants are manipulating the other, or game-playing. This can be for a numerous of different reasons - maybe they are insecure about the relationship, or maybe they want to make sure the other definitely wants to be with them. You should try to incorporate some form of manipulation or game playing into your story. Prompts Used - "I refuse to be subjected to your mind games!", (creature) mermaid

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Gringotts - Prompts Used - Quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - _Eleanor Roosevelt_ / Magical Object: Broomstick / First Line: They were cursed. /Phrase: "Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed today?" / Word Set: Antagonise, Prickly, Acidic, Offend

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog - Leopoldina Smethwyck - A character in your story is the peacemaker in someone's argument.

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Prejudice

* * *

They were cursed. She was sure of it. Just when things seemed to be going well, she'd run into someone who made her doubt everything she knew and felt. And in return, she'd damage the most important relationship in her life.

So now Charlie was mad at her, and there was no one to blame but herself. And maybe Malfoy.

It had all started when she woke up a couple of days ago. She was in a particularly prickly mood and it must have showed to Charlie. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed today?"

The acidic glare she leveled at him didn't seem to offend him in the slightest. She grumbled as he kissed her, ignoring the arms that wanted to embrace her. She walked around him and gathered her stuff, not in the mood for a couple's breakfast.

She left him standing there, not even a goodbye making it to her lips, as she headed for work.

Her day went for bad to worse, especially when she saw Malfoy on the way out of the building at the end of the day. She wondered if she'd have to deal with his prejudice remarks.

"Granger," he nodded, a smirk on his lips, and she knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting. Then again, when was it ever pleasant when it came to talk to Draco Malfoy?"

"I heard you and a Weasel took up with each other. I thought it would be the younger one. Who knew you'd go for an older guy?"

"My love life is none of your business," she stated.

His smirked widened. "Charlie Weasley was probably the only Weasel I actually sort of admired. My respect for him went down a notch though when I heard about him dating _you_."

She knew he was purposely trying to antagonize her, but that didn't mean it didn't work."

"Why? Are you jealous? Afraid that Charlie will never look at you with anything more than disgust?"

Draco's smirk disappeared as he glared at her, the fury unmasked in his gaze. "I have no idea what Charlie Weasley sees in you. You're a know-it-all bookworm. Charlie likes adventure and dragons; he likes Quidditch and flying. You might have an adventurous bone but only when you had no other choice. You're scared of flying and only go on a broomstick when it's necessary. You never seemed too interested in the game either, not unless you were panting after Potter and Weasley. Sooner or later, he'll realize how boring you are."

Hermione swallowed, hating the fact he hit on most of her insecurities and without even trying.

Suddenly, a body was in between them. "That's enough," Percy commanded. "Malfoy, you should show some respect. Hermione, don't listen to what this bigot says. He _is_ jealous but not of you. He's jealous of Charlie. He knows he could never capture the heart of a bight witch like you."

Draco's face flushed. "That's not true," he retorted.

Percy looked at the blond menace. "It very much is true. That's why you picked out her insecurities. It makes you feel better about yourself, especially since you know she'll never want you."

Draco stomped away like a petulant child and Hermione walked away before Percy could say anything else, too caught up in her inner turmoil.

That night, and the next day, she was absolutely _horrible_ to Charlie. If she wasn't avoiding him, she was lashing out at him in anger. She was surprised he didn't just walk away from her and forget about her. It was nothing less than what she deserved.

Finally, after she was unreasonable about dinner, Charlie grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Tell me what I did wrong? Are you just testing my patience? Waiting to see what it will take me to finally crack? Even _I_ have my limits."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Why are you with me? We are so different, and sometimes when I'm with you, I feel like a mermaid out of the water, a mermaid who's in love with a human, like I don't belong with you."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Draco Malfoy pointed out a lot of our differences to me yesterday. He made sure he said you'd get bored and leave. Usually, I don't let him get to me, but yesterday I felt off the whole day, and his words penetrated my barriers."

Charlie sighed. "How many times have I told you that I love you? When are you going to believe me? This seems to be a fight we have constantly, and I'm sick of having to defend myself when I've done nothing that needs to be defending. You need to trust me and trust my feelings. You need to have faith in us like _I_ have faith in us, or we're never going to work. I've done all I can, and now it's up to you." He paused, catching his breath. "So, what's it going to be?"

* * *

The next day, Hermione marched right up to Draco. "You're lucky I'm no longer thirteen; otherwise, I'd punch you again. I'm done listening to you. I refuse to be subjected to your mind games! No one can make me feel inferior unless I allow them to, and I'm done allowing you or anyone else to make me feel that low. Charlie loves me, and nothing is going to make me doubt it any longer. So get a life and stop looking at mine. It's pathetic."

Without letting him get a word in edgewise, Hermione turned and walked away. And at lunchtime, she met Charlie at a nearby bistro. They kissed hello and held hands throughout their meal.

When they were done and forced to part ways, their kiss was lingering.

When she pulled away, she murmured, "And you were right. I was playing a game with you yesterday, wanting to see what it would take for you to break up with me. I'm sorry."

Charlie brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Sshh. We talked last night. All is forgiven. I love you."

A weight lifted off of her chest when she realized he wouldn't hold her irrational behavior against her. "I love you, too."

And with that, she turned away and headed back to the office, confident the Charlie would be waiting for her that night at their flat.


	6. Teamwork

**Title:** Teamwork  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione, Katie/Oliver (mentioned), Charlie/Katie (mentioned), Hermione/Oliver (mentioned)  
 **Warnings:** Consensual Infidelity  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 1,605  
 **Summary:** Charlie and Hermione agree to something unorthodox in order to be sure of their relationship.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Flying Lessons - BOTH members of your pairing are having/have had an affair with BOTH members of the other couple. - Prompt Used - a bottle of Firewhiskey

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Hopscotch - Prompt Used - "To hell with that" (dialogue)

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Gringotts: Prompts Used - Character: Charlie Weasley, Dialogue: "Silence is the most powerful scream.", Last Line: "Okay?" / "Okay.", Word Set: Escape, Ring, Rush, Nervous, Weather Prompt: Sunset

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog - Charlie Weasley - Silver - Write about Charlie Weasley

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** September Event - (colour) Beige

 **The Restricted Collection:** Prompt Used - No spells can be cast / mentioned

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used - Diary

* * *

Hermione wanted to escape as she twirled her hair. "A-Are we actually g-going to do this?" she asked, her voice somewhat of a nervous stutter.

Charlie didn't seem to be in a rush as he took his time to answer. "I don't want to, but I think we both need to do it. It's the only way we can be positive about what we want."

Hermione looked at her hands. "I thought we were positive."

Charlie placed a hand on top of hers. "I'm sure of what I want, but I think you still have doubts. I have to believe that if you were completely, 100 percent sure, you wouldn't keep looking for reasons to get into fights. I have to believe that you wouldn't keep trying to find me doing something wrong. I have to believe you would trust me and faith in my feelings for you. I think you doubt us, and that's why you constantly question my devotion to you. And the only reason I'm going to participate in this is because I think it's the only way you'll agree."

"So, we're just going to have relationships, or sex, or whatever it is, with other people for a month while still being with each other?"

"Katie and Oliver agreed, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"They know it's just for a month, so they won't get attached, right?"

"They're with each other, so there's no chance of that happening. They think it will spice up their sex life, so they're looking forward to it."

Charlie nodded. "The month starts tomorrow."

Hermione felt tears build in her eyes, but they didn't fall. "Tomorrow." She rested her head on Charlie's shoulder and wondered if this was the beginning of the end of their relationship.

* * *

 _Week One_

Hermione would never admit it, but she was enjoying sneaking around with Oliver. He was really fit, and he always had a way to put her at ease and make her laugh.

The sex was pretty good. His talented hands always brought her to release, and she enjoyed kissing him and touching him.

The only problem was that when she went home, despite the fact that Charlie knew about the cheating and condoned it, it was still cheating. She felt guilt eat up at her insides, especially when she noticed Charlie looking disappointed when she walked into their flat, a smile on her face.

Maybe Charlie had been right to be concerned about her feelings. If she was really _truly_ in love with Charlie, she shouldn't be enjoying her time with Oliver quite so much.

* * *

The first time Charlie met up with Katie, he felt uncomfortable. She seemed to sense it and didn't push too much, and by the end of the night, they had sex. It was nice, and Katie was a passionate, beautiful woman, but it was nothing compared to what he always felt with Hermione.

He didn't want to think of it, but he wondered how he measured up to Oliver in Hermione's eyes. He considered asking Katie who was better in bed: him or Oliver, but he didn't think she would appreciate the question so he kept quiet about his concerns, especially when he realized Hermione was enjoying herself.

He quickly started regretting this asinine idea, but he knew it was the right thing for them. If Hermione truly wasn't 100 percent sure of them, if her feelings for him weren't love, it was better that he found out now, and not when he was trying to give her an engagement ring.

* * *

 _Week Two_

Hermione stared at her closed beige diary, thinking about everything she wrote that day. She was starting to realize why Charlie wanted to do this little experiment.

She clenched her fists in her lap as tears fell from her eyes. It was almost midnight and Charlie wasn't home yet. She knew he was with Katie, and while they never talked about staying over at the other person's house overnight – and she always thought that even while they were doing this thing, they'd spend every night together – it seemed to be what was happening tonight. She wondered if maybe he preferred Katie's easygoing nature over Hermione's sterner personality.

She knew she'd be bothered by Charlie with another girl, but the jealousy was eating her up as she wondered if maybe Charlie hadn't been as completely devoted to her as he claimed.

She wondered what they did together, if Charlie enjoyed spending time with Katie outside of the bedroom.

She thought about her own affair, if you could truly call it that. Oliver was as skilled as ever in the bedroom, but the novelty had worn off, and she no longer sought him out to spend time together. The last time they were together was three days ago.

Oliver wanted to spend time with her and talk after sex, and Hermione found herself wanting to get home to Charlie, who was far more interesting to her.

For example, today she had come home from work at 4, thinking she and Charlie could spend some quality time together, but he wasn't home, and that hadn't changed yet.

Feeling sad and rejected, Hermione left a note for Charlie before she went to sleep. She hoped Charlie wouldn't spend the whole night away from her. She desperately wanted to wake up in his arms.

* * *

Charlie stared at his bottle of Firewhiskey before he looked around the Burrow. He knew he should get home since it was almost one in the morning, but he didn't think he could safely get there right then. He was far too drunk.

He hadn't wanted to go home to an empty flat. He knew Hermione had gotten off of work early as he went to her office and was told by her employer.

She hadn't bothered telling him so he assumed she left early to spend more time with Oliver. He had stopped seeing Katie two days into the second week, not able to put up the pretense of enjoyment any longer. Due to that though, he had no way of finding out what was going on between Hermione and Oliver, if they liked spending time together.

He knew he should ask Hermione, but he didn't want to hear her rejection of him. So, believing she was spending the night in another man's bed, he stayed away from the eerily quiet flat.

It was seven am the next day that he finally made it home. He looked in their bedroom, breathing a sigh of relief that she was asleep on her side of the bed. She had never spent a whole night away before, but that didn't mean it wasn't coming.

He noticed a stay piece of paper on the dresser and picked it up.

 _Charlie,_

 _I came home early from work, hoping to surprise you with some quality time together. I guess you were having fun wherever you were._

 _Maybe we can try this another night, though?_

 _Hermione_

The note fluttered to the ground as Charlie's fingers went lax. Even as the unpleasant feeling of guilt swarmed him, hope swelled in his chest. Maybe he wasn't losing Hermione after all.

* * *

 _Week Three_

Hermione found Charlie on the roof, looking at the sunset. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to spit out what she had to say before she lost her nerve.

She didn't get the chance, though. Surprisingly, especially since she didn't realize he knew he wasn't alone any longer, Charlie interrupted her. "I don't want to do this anymore."

Hermione's heart plummeted as she feared she was too late. "Oh."

He finally turned to face her, and her heart nearly stopped when she saw the raw pain on his face. "I hate the very idea of you with another guy. I'm going mad thinking about it. I want us to end this farce. No more Oliver and no more Katie."

Hermione felt the beginnings of a smile on her face. "I thought you wanted to do this for a month."

"To hell with that. I can't go another day imagining another guy's hands all over you."

"I haven't been with Oliver for over a week."

"The same can be said about me and Katie. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Fear. I thought you enjoying Katie. How about you?"

"The same thing. Both of our silences worked against us."

She nodded. "Silence is the most powerful scream. Unfortunately, neither of us was listening."

Charlie held out his hand, and Hermione gladly took it. The warmth went straight from her fingers in order to spread throughout her entire body.

She knew Katie and Oliver were crumbling. Neither of them had been able to hand the consensual infidelity. Hermione felt slightly guilty, but no one had forced them to agree to it.

And she knew she and Charlie were stronger because of it. It had been a very excruciating three weeks, but with the way Charlie was looking at her, as if she was the only woman in the world, she thought the pain was well worth it. Especially because she no longer doubted Charlie's devotion. He had a chance to be with another girl, and he still chose Hermione. And she vowed to never doubt the strength of Charlie's feelings for her again.

Charlie pulled her and she easily went into his embrace, sighing contently when he wrapped his strong arms around her. Despite his strength, he held her so tenderly, like she was a porcelain doll, something she knew could never be used to describe her.

Hermione tilted her head up to stare into his cerulean eyes. "Okay?"

"Okay."


	7. Avoiding Obstacles

**Title:** Avoiding Obstacles  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Hermione/Charlie  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 575  
 **Summary:** Before Hermione can accept Charlie, she needs to move on.  
 **Notes:** This takes place back before Hermione and Charlie got together.

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For this task, I would like you to write about an obstacle that occurred early on in your relationship. Prompts Used - "I begged him to stay, Tried to remember what we had in the beginning. He was charismatic, magnetic, electric, and everybody knew him.", (location) Diagon Alley

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Graphorn - Write about someone who is usually walked all over, finally getting their comeuppance.

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used – Demon

* * *

"I begged him to stay, Tried to remember what we had in the beginning. He was charismatic, magnetic, electric, and everybody knew him."

Charlie turned away from the people who were strolling down Diagon Alley to look at Hermione. "Really? Ron? I know everybody knows him because the war, but you can do so much better than him. You're too good for him."

Hermione looked at her hands. "He knew of my demons, and he still wanted me."

"Then why did he break up with you for Lavender?"

"I don't know."

"Hermione, you're absolutely amazing. If he can't see what's right in front of his eyes, he's not worthy of you."

"I'm not ready to let go of him, yet. I still hope that we can get back together when he realizes Lavender isn't right for him."

Charlie picked up her hand and placed it against his heart. "I'm here when you're ready. Just know that I think you're extraordinary."

Hermione's heart picked up the pace as she looked into his eyes. "I know. I'm sorry I'm not ready to move on, but I promise that when I _am_ ready, you'll be the first person that I look at."

"I'll wait then."

* * *

Hermione was looking at books when Charlie walked into Flourish and Blotts. She smiled and waved from her spot near the Transfiguration books.

Charlie walked over to her. "How are you doing today?"

She shrugged.

Charlie raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to add some words to that shrug?"

"I saw Ron today."

Charlie frowned. "What moronic thing did he say?"

Hermione laughed slightly, but there was no real feeling behind it. "He mentioned how I've been spending a lot of time with you lately, and how he doesn't like it."

"And what right does he have to tell you who you can and can't spend time with?"

"I guess he thinks because he's my ex-boyfriend and you're his brother, we shouldn't be friendly."

"Idiot," Charlie muttered.

Hermione nodded. "And then he started flirting with me. I think he knows I'm starting to feel something for you, so he has decided that he wants me back."

"You're started to feel something for me?" Charlie parrots hopefully.

Hermione nodded. "I am. How can I not? You've been so great to me. You've been exactly what I need, a nonjudgmental friend. And even though I know what you want from me, you haven't made me feel pressured. I just need some more time. I promise, it will only be a while longer."

"So, you're definitely not going back to Ron?"

"No, he only wants me when I'm unavailable and then pouts like a baby when I turn him down. I want someone a bit more mature."

"I'm a bit more mature."

Hermione covered her hand to help stifle the giggles at the puppy dog look Charlie was exploiting so well. "I know."

* * *

Hermione sat with Charlie outside of the ice cream parlour. Their hands were held underneath the table, and she knew it was time. She was ready for Charlie and everything he wanted to offer her.

When Ron and Lavender came up to them, Hermione shifted so she could look at both of them at the same time.

Ron's face was turning red when he looked between the two of them. "What's going on?"

Hermione blushed and looked at Charlie beneath lowered eyelashes. "I'm moving on."

Charlie smiled blindingly bright. "I'm glad," he whispered.


	8. Flying With Different Brooms

**Title:** Flying With Different Brooms  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** Depression, mention of attempted suicide  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 1,847  
 **Summary:** Hermione's need to help Tonks interferes with her budding relationship.  
 **Notes:** In this, Nymphadora had still been pregnant so she never fought in the final battle. Also, I didn't want to go the normal route with maybe someone being jealous or an overprotective parent or brother, so I tried to make this as original as possible.

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For this stage of your collection, you should include a third party to your relationship. Based on the pairing that you are writing for, you will be given a selection of six characters to choose from. The third party must have a negative impact on the relationship in some manner: but it is up to you to decide how they will negatively impact on your relationship. Character - Nymphadora Tonks, Prompt - (plot) A baby features. Either the birth of the pairings own baby, or someone else's.

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Chocolate Frog - Dementor - Gold - Write someone suffering with deteriorating depression.

 **365 Days of Drabbles Challenge:** Prompt Used – Question

* * *

Hermione and Charlie walked into the room. Tonks was holding her newborn son as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Hermione went to the two and put her arm around Tonks.

"Remus isn't here," she whispered.

"I know," Hermione softly murmured. She kissed Tonks's head and continued, "He would have been one proud father."

"I'm naming him Teddy Remus Lupin."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful boy. He'll grow up to be strong and kind, just like both of his namesakes. I guarantee it."

"Hermione?" Tonks looked away from Teddy to look at Hermione with a question in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Harry is already Teddy's godfather, and I'm happy with that. I would like you to be godmother as well. Between both you and Harry, if anything was to happen to me, I _know_ Teddy would be in good hands."

Hermione's heart warmed. "It would be my honor. I've also been thinking, and I've decided that you shouldn't be alone right now. I want to move you and Teddy into my flat for a while. That way I can help."

"Thank you," she whispered before her eyes went back to Teddy.

Hermione looked back at Charlie and noticed the frown on his face. ' _What?'_ she mouthed.

Charlie shook his head, and Hermione turned back to the mother and son. She was focused on helping them, no matter what.

* * *

Hermione looked at Tonks. The woman had taken to staring out of the window, even as her son cried.

The bushy brunette had held hope with how Tonks had acted at the hospital. She seemed like herself, ready to be a mother. It seemed like Teddy would be enough to keep her with them.

She had told Tonks she wanted the two of them to stay with her because she did want to help, but she also wanted to make sure Teddy would be taken care of in case Tonks relapsed. It looked like Hermione's fears hadn't been unfounded after all.

She had been frightened when Tonks wanted to name her as godmother, but she had brushed her worries aside, deciding it was Tonks's way of thanking Hermione for being there for her. Now though, she was starting to worry if Tonks was preparing for something.

Hermione cleared her throat, making her presence known.

Tonks didn't turn away from the window.

"I was wondering if you wanted to take Teddy outside to play. It's a beautiful day, and the park isn't that far away. I'm sure he would love the sun."

"No," Tonks muttered.

Hermione walked over to Tonks, standing behind her. "I think it might be good for you as well."

"No," Tonks replied.

"You can't stay in the house all day every day. It's not healthy. Come outside, just for an hour."

"No."

Hermione sighed, knowing there was nothing she could say to convince Tonks to leave her room. She went to her own bedroom where Teddy laid. His eyes were open, and he smiled a toothless grin when he saw her.

Hermione put on a brave smile and lifted Teddy from the bassinet. Just because his mother wasn't in the mood, didn't mean Teddy wouldn't enjoy being out in the sunshine.

Hermione grabbed everything she needed and went to a nearby park. There were no muggles around but to be on the safe side, Hermione muttered a charm so Teddy wouldn't change his looks. She held Teddy as he stared wonderingly around his new surroundings.

Hermione was enjoying her time with her godson, but she was looking forward to Harry taking him for the weekend. She hadn't seen Charlie much lately, and their relationship was very new. She didn't want Charlie to forget why he liked her because he hadn't seen her in a while. That wouldn't do at all.

Over an hour later, Hermione arrived back at her flat to see Charlie was already there. They kissed each other, and Charlie caressed Teddy's cheek. "Good day?"

Hermione shrugged, unsure of how to truthfully answer the question. Teddy had a good day, but Tonks was another story all together.

When Harry arrived to pick up Teddy, he asked, "How's Tonks?"

"She's deteriorating."

"Maybe we should look into a mind healer."

"Maybe."

Charlie and Hermione did their best to enjoy their evening together, but Hermione soon heard a racket coming from Tonks's room and rushed to it, her heart in her throat.

Tonks was on her bed, shoulders shaking as the sobs went through her whole body. Hermione laid in bed next to Tonks, doing her best to comfort the woman.

It was three hours later, after Tonks had finally drifted off to sleep, that she remembered Charlie. She hurried back to the sitting room and found him passed out on the couch.

Her heart clenched. She vaguely remembered him coming to check on her and Tonks, but the other woman got violent and hysterical when she saw Charlie. In her fear for Tonks, she had told Charlie to leave the room and not to come back in.

And Charlie had left, only to fall asleep on the very uncomfortable couch.

"Oh, Charlie, I'm so sorry."

* * *

"We had a date, didn't we?" Hermione asked guiltily. She fingered her hair that was all in disarray.

"Yeah, is everything okay?"

"I'm so sorry. I completely forgot and Teddy has a fever, so I can't leave."

"Where's Tonks?"

Hermione looked into his eyes. "Sleeping. It's all she does lately."

"Maybe I can help?"

"I don't know if that's such a good idea. If Tonks wakes up and sees you here..." She trailed off. Neither of them had figured out why Tonks reacted so violently to Charlie's presence. She probably didn't even know herself.

"You're taking care of _her_ son. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you have some help."

Hermione stood on her toes and gave Charlie a quick kiss, one that lacked passion and showed her distraction. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I can't risk it. I'll Floo you tomorrow so we can reschedule our date, and I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Charlie opened his mouth just as Teddy began shrieking. Without looking at the redhead, she closed the door.

The next day, still caught up in Teddy and Tonks, she forgot about her promise to Floo Charlie. She wouldn't remember for a couple of days, only to be reminded when Charlie paid her another visit.

Hermione had never seen Charlie so angry before.

"I feel like I don't even matter to you anymore. I don't think I'm being unreasonable, expecting you to keep your promises."

"You're not. With Teddy being sick, you slipped my mind. He's feeling better, so I'm sure we can go on a date. I'll just ask Harry to watch him."

"Don't you think his mother should be helping out? How is she ever going to get better if she doesn't try?"

"Harry and I are planning to talk to her, I promise. We both agree that enough is enough, and that she has to pull herself together for her son's sake. Please, don't give up on us."

Charlie looked away and with a heavy sigh, he said, "You're lucky I like you so much."

"Yeah, I am lucky."

* * *

Charlie crossed his arms. "I get it. You're trying to help Tonks. I, more than anyone, can understand that. I have to watch George rebuild his life after losing Fred, but you're not taking care of yourself, and I can't remember the last time we spent any time together."

"Stop being so selfish."

"I'm selfish for wanting to spend time with my girlfriend? I'm selfish because I'm worried that my girlfriend's health is suffering. I'm selfish because I hate watching a young baby slowly lose his only remaining parent because she refuses to get professional help? If all of that is selfish, then I don't care."

Hermione looked at her feet. "I know Tonks should get help. Both Harry and I have talked to her, have begged her for Teddy's sake. She refuses, though, and neither of us wants to force her."

"Something has to change because I can continue to watch this."

"What are you saying?"

Charlie visibly swallowed. "I care about you so much, and I want to help you help her, but not at the risk of your health. If you continue to ignore the things your body needs to thrive, I'm not going to stay and watch you end up in the hospital. I refuse to watch it."

With those words, Charlie left, and Hermione feared that she lost him for good.

* * *

Hermione stared at the shockingly white wall. Teddy was with Molly, but for once, Hermione wasn't thinking about the baby.

A hand grabbed hers, and without looking, she knew who it was. "You came."

"Of course. What happened?"

With tears swimming in her eyes, Hermione turned her head to look into Charlie's compassionate gaze. "She tried to kill herself. Right in front of Teddy. I'm glad he's too young and won't ever remember it."

"Where were you?"

"I went outside for some fresh air, and I thought if I left Teddy with her, it might bring her out of her head. I don't even know why I went back inside. Teddy wasn't crying or anything, but something didn't feel right, and I _knew_ I had to check on them."

"You're instincts have always been right." He brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"She's going to be forced to see a mind healer now, and she's going to be staying in the hospital until they decide she's no longer a danger to herself or others."

"What's going to happen with Teddy?"

"Since Harry and I are his godparents, he'll stay with one of us. Although Harry has spent a lot of time with Teddy, I've been his primary caregiver, so he'll most likely live with me. Harry will do his best to help of course, and Teddy will probably spend weekends there so I can have a break." She looked at her hands. "I guess I still won't be an available girlfriend."

"I don't mind sharing you, Hermione. I just need to know you're not going to neglect your own health. I can't watch you wither away because you stop taking care of yourself. You don't have to do it by yourself. Harry will have Teddy on the weekends which is great. Let me help during the week. And when Tonks is released, we'll figure out what to do next."

Hermione liked that Charlie said _'when_ Tonks is released' and not _'if_ Tonks is released." Even so, Hermione wasn't so sure if she would ever truly recover from losing both of her parents as well as Remus. It made her wonder how Harry had been able to keep his mind, with only having to deal with some residual anger issues.

"Okay. I would really appreciate your help."

"Good."

Hermione wasn't ready to leave the hospital yet, and Charlie stayed with her, being a comforting presence. She was thankful she had him and hoped she would always have him.


	9. Dealing with Flying Injuries

**Title:** Dealing with Flying Injuries  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 757  
 **Summary:** Hermione is sick.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - For this stage of your collection, you should include some form of physical or mental illness onto one or both sides of your relationship. The illness could be a recent affliction, or it could have been something that the victim has suffered with for a long time. It's completely up to you. **Illness -** Morning Sickness, **Prompt -** (object) Four Poster Bed

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog - Common Welsh Green - Gold - Set your story in the country of Wales.

* * *

Hermione walked up to the tiny cottage. She breathed in the fresh air with her eyes closed, and leaned back into Charlie's strong hold. "Wales really is beautiful; I'm glad we're doing this."

Charlie kissed her neck. "I am too. You've been sick so much lately. I think this might do you some good."

Hermione took Charlie's hand and pulled him into the small place that they were renting for a couple of weeks. Charlie was actually friends with the owners, and the married couple had no problem with allowing Charlie and Hermione to stay there for a couple weeks since they were away on their own vacation.

She looked around, taking note where everything was. She especially made sure she was aware of the bathroom's location, and when her eyes landed on the four poster bed, she happily went to it. She crawled on it and made herself at home on the very comfortable mattress.

Charlie chuckled when he found her. "Tired, my love?"

She wiggled happily. "Very. Come lay with me," she pleaded, flashing her underused puppy dog eyes.

"How can I resist that face?"

"You really can't," Hermione cheekily replied, squealing when Charlie pounced on the bed, making it shake.

She closed her eyes when Charlie wrapped his arms around her, letting his steady heartbeat lull her to a peaceful sleep.

Unfortunately, the peaceful sleep wasn't long lasting. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but her churning stomach woke her up, and she knew she had to get to the bathroom. Fast.

She raced out of the bed, banging her shoulder against the doorframe as she ran into the bathroom. She winced at the pain in her arm, quickly kneeling and lifting the seat up, and everything she ate that day made its reappearance.

It wasn't long before Hermione was dry heaving. When her stomach muscles stopped contracting, she rested her sweaty forehead against the cool porcelain and realized someone was soothingly rubbing her back.

"Why is this happening to me?" she moaned.

"I'm not sure, but I think you should see a healer. I know you wanted to wait for it go away by itself, but this could be serious, and I'm not going to risk losing you because you don't want a professional to look at you. So, for me, no more arguing about it. Please?"

Hermione sighed and stood up on shaky legs. "Okay. Can I have some water?"

Charlie brushed a stand of her hair off of her forehead. "Let me put you back to bed, and then I'll get it for you. I'll also see if I can find a healer to come see you here."

She nodded and climbed back into bed, cuddling under the covers. When Charlie brought the water, she sat up slowly and took careful sips. When she was laying down again, nearly asleep, Charlie left the room, presumably to go make the arrangements.

She woke up once again, but this time it wasn't to the urge of needing a bathroom. It was to a wand waving over her.

Groggily, she turned her head, her eyes automatically seeking Charlie.

He moved to her and took her hand. "Just a healer. I was hoping this would be finished before you woke up."

She pressed a kiss to his hand, too tired to verbalize anything back.

The healer made sounds of contemplation and after what seemed like an eternity, the woman stepped away.

With a happy smile, she said, "There's nothing for you two to be concerned about. Morning sickness is very common in the early stage of pregnancy. Congratulations!"

Later that night, Hermione and Charlie sat side-by-side on the couch.

"Pregnant?" he breathed, his eyes focused on her stomach. "I still can't believe it."

She placed her hand protectively on her stomach. "What if... What if _it_ happens again? I can't lose another child. I can't."

Charlie took her hand. "It won't. This time we know you're pregnant, so we know to be careful. We will not lose another child. We won't."

"We could, though. I miscarried once; I can do it again," she insisted, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Anything's possible, but we will take all the precautions necessary to make sure it doesn't happen. I love you, and I will love my son or daughter. Let's stop worrying about the what-ifs and enjoy the fact that you're pregnant, that we're going to be parents. Everything else will work itself out."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, always and forever."


	10. Wronski Feint

**Title:** Wronski Feint  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 841  
 **Summary:** Hermione gets caught in a horrible lie.  
 **Notes:** REMEMBER: These are unrelated drabbles.

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Flying Lessons - Write about one or both sides of your relationship telling quite a bad lie. It is up to you what this lie is about, but it cannot be something small and white - it has to be a lie that could potentially end the relationship. **Prompt Used -** (dialogue) "You still believe in me. Don't you?"

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog - Barnabas the Barmy - Bronze - Prompts Used - Companion, Journey, Foolish, Mad

 **Sims 3 Progression Challenge:** Fall - Prompt Used - (object) coat

* * *

"You still believe in me. Don't you?" Hermione asked, fear clouding her voice.

Charlie sighed as he pulled on his coat. "Of course I do. I just don't understand why you aren't pregnant, yet. We've been trying for almost _six_ months."

"Sometimes it takes a little while longer. Not everyone is as fertile as your mother."

"But it's in my genes."

"But not mine," Hermione gently refuted. "I'm an only child, and neither of my parents have any siblings. I guess my genes outweigh yours in this instance."

Charlie nodded. "I guess you're right. We won't give up though, right?"

"Of course not," Hermione agreed.

It was a couple of days later that everything came crashing down around Charlie.

Hermione had left her bag home and being the wonderful, considerate husband that he was, he decided to take it to her at work. He picked it up the wrong way and spilled the contents on the floor.

He heaved a gigantic sigh and knelt to put everything back in. He wasn't paying attention, but when his fingers grazed a round container, he stilled. He had seen Hermione with it before so he didn't have to open it to know what it was. Birth control pills.

There was no reason she should have them while they were trying to have a baby. Unless she lied to him and was still taking them!

He felt foolish at how easily she deceived him. He had trusted her to always be honest, and to lie to him in such a way, about something so _big_...

How could she?

He thought about their journey from allies to friends to boyfriend and girlfriend, and finally to husband and wife. She had been his companion, someone he trusted implicitly, and now, he didn't know if he could ever trust her again.

Charlie left the bag on the floor and stormed out of the house. He needed to get away for a while. He didn't know why he was leaving an empty house, but all he knew was he didn't want to be home if Hermione decided to come back for her bag.

He spent the whole day out of the house, and when he returned at nightfall, he hadn't calmed down much.

He walked inside to find Hermione standing over her spilled back. She looked up, anxiety on her face. "You look mad."

"Why would I be mad? You only lied about wanting to have a baby with me and secretly kept taking birth control."

"Charlie..." She trailed off.

He shook his head, disgusted with the whole situation. "I think I'm going to spend the night at Shell Cottage."

He walked into their bedroom, determined to pack an overnight bag, but Hermione hurried in after him.

"Don't leave. We need to talk about this."

"A little late for that, don't you think?" Charlie demanded.

"I know I shouldn't have lied -"

"I thought you wanted to be a mother!" Charlie interrupted as he spun around to face her

"I do," Hermione said.

"Obviously not."

"Please, stay so we can talk."

Charlie wanted to just walk out on her, but he knew he couldn't do that. He parents had taught him to never walk away angry. He sat on the bed as his hands clenched into fists on his lap.

Hermione sat next to him but knew enough to not touch him. "I do want to be a mom, but I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"Then why not _tell_ me?"

"You were so excited about the possibility. I didn't want to disappoint you. I'm so, so sorry. I know I should have been honest, but I was scared."

"If you lied about this, how do I know you haven't lied about something else?"

Hermione looked down at her lap. "I guess you don't. I just have to hope you trust me enough to realize I would never normally lie to you. It was a mistake. I knew I had to tell you the truth, but the more time passed, the harder it was to be honest. I'm sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Finally, Charlie looked up and met her eyes. "I can forgive you, but I'm not sure I can trust you again."

"Can't you try?"

He swallowed, and there was a large moment of silence. "It comes down to whether I _want_ to try."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "And do you?" she asked, but her voice was the merest whisper, and he almost didn't hear it.

He thought about everything the two of them had been through, apart and together. He thought about what she meant to him, and he had his answer. "I love you so much. I'm not ready to give up on us, but you'll need to earn my trust all over again."

She frantically nodded her head. "I'll do anything I have to, I promise."

Charlie grabbed her hand, and Hermione returned his hold. It wasn't a resolution, but it _was_ a start.


	11. Weather Conditions

**Title:** Weather Conditions  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 589  
 **Summary:** Hermione waits for him.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **For this task, the weather will play a big part of your chapter. I want you to take one of the following weather conditions and use it as a problematic issue in your story. For example, if you choose a heatwave, maybe the characters are suffering from blackouts and sunstroke. If they choose a storm, perhaps someone is afraid of it and must be consoled. Weather – Heavy Snow/Snowstorm, Prompt – (colour) cerulean

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **November Event - Medium - 15. Charlie Weasley

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog: Gerbold Ollivander – Bronze – Prompts Used – Survivor, Silver, Integrity, Search

* * *

Hermione shivered under her usual silver blanket. "C-Charlie," she called, needing to see the familiar cerulean eyes, eyes that seemed to always glow with integrity and love.

There was no answer. Of course there wasn't. He wasn't home, yet.

She had always prided herself when it came to being a survivor, but these conditions were horrendous. She stood up on shaking legs, doing her best to keep her blanket wrapped completely around her thin frame, and searched the landscape from the window, her eyes moving over the white snow.

There was so much snow, and it seemed to be getting heavier. She hoped Charlie came home soon. She hated the fact that he wasn't home in the snowstorm, and she knew she wouldn't be able to relax until she saw him.

She left her perch to go to the fireplace, hoping by some miracle, the Floo system was working. She threw in some Floo powder but nothing happened. There was no flash of green and once again, her hope dwindled.

If she could just _hear_ Charlie's voice, she'd feel better. Just so she knew Charlie was safe and somewhat warm.

As the hours passed, Hermione's body temperature got colder. Her toes were so cold and she had a hard time walking, but she had to find a way to make the house warmer. The Floo might not work, and unfortunately, the heat wasn't functioning, but she could still make a fire.

It was hard work, but as her blanket slipped from her shoulders, she used her wand to levitate firewood into the fireplace. And then she charmed sparks to set it ablaze.

It wasn't instant relief, but it sure felt good as she sat in front of the fireplace with her blanket wrapped around her body once again.

Her eyes drooped, but she shook her head. She needed to stay up until Charlie got home. She remembered pulling all-nighters when she was at Hogwarts, so she could certainly stay awake tonight, especially since the reasoning was more important than simply studying for an exam.

She talked out loud, sprouted things she remembered reading, in order to keep herself awake. And it worked. Before she knew it, it was eight in the morning, and then she heard it. A crack of Apparition.

The blanket fell from her shoulders as she stood up in anticipation of seeing Charlie. When he walked in through the door, she ran over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "You're home!"

Charlie held her as tight as possible and she nearly melted against his muscles. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be home last night. It was too dangerous to Apparate."

Hermione kissed his chest. "If only the Floo had been working. It would have been a much easier night."

Hermione's hand rested on his neck, and her fingers caressed his chin, so she felt him nod. "That would have been ideal." They finally pulled away from each other, and Charlie searched her eyes. "Have you been awake all night?"

"I couldn't sleep without knowing you were safe."

"Oh, Hermione. Come on. It's time to get you into bed."

Instead of going into the bedroom, Hermione pulled him down in front of the fire. "It's still snowing outside, albeit lighter, and it's warmer here."

Charlie didn't fight her and they laid in front of the fire, holding each other and staring into each other's eyes. When she finally drifted off for some much needed sleep, she was content, knowing Charlie was home, safe and sound.


	12. Broom Crashes 101

**Title:** Broom Crashes 101  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Charlie/Hermione  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 716  
 **Summary:** They're starting a new chapter in their lives.  
 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Flying Lessons - This chapter should focus on something ending for your couple. This does not have to be the relationship traditionally ending, however. You could use the theme of endings for a variation of different things that could happen within the story. Perhaps the couple are moving on in their lives to another chapter - this could be getting married, and ending their engagement or previous relationship. Maybe they are saying goodbye to a negative influence in their lives. It is completely up to you how you want to approach this theme! **Prompts Used -** (location) The Astronomy Tower; (dialogue) "I hope you always find a reason to smile."

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Chocolate Frog - Andros the Invincible - Silver - Include a Patronus in your story, of someone who isn't a main character of the novels.

* * *

Hermione stood on the Astronomy Tower. The cool breeze felt good, and she closed her eyes, simply enjoying it.

She opened them when it stopped just in time to see a silver form coming towards her in the form of a giant reptile. She smiled, recognizing Charlie's patronus. He didn't use it often, but he had told her it was a good skill to have so when he had the chance, he made sure to learn how to make one.

"Wait there for me," Charlie's voice sounded.

She knew he couldn't hear her through the patronus, but she replied anyways. "I will," she whispered, pulling a loose tendril that had fallen from her messy bun, behind her ear.

It was a few minutes – she knew the trek from almost anywhere on the Hogwarts Grounds to the Astronomy Tower was a bit long – but he came through the door with a gigantic smile on his face.

Just the sight of him made her heart speed up, and she wondered if he would ever stop having that effect on her. She hoped not; it was exhilarating. "I hope you always find a reason to smile," she murmured, holding her arms up so she could grab his head and pull him down for a kiss.

He laughed breathlessly against her lips. "As long as I have you in my life, I don't think there's anything to worry about in that regard." He pressed another kiss to her lips, and she whimpered as his tongue plunged into her mouth.

They battled for dominance and Hermione won, and even though she knew Charlie allowed her to win, she still took joy in her triumph. He didn't mind losing when it came to this kind of war.

They separated when air was needed. Her tongue swiped over her bottom lip, savoring any lingering tastes of Charlie that she could find. She laughed when his eyes zeroed in on her tongue and gently pushed him away from her. "No more."

He pouted. "Fine."

They turned their heads to look out over the grounds. Hermione moved to stand in front of the railing, resting her hands on it, and Charlie stood behind her with his hands comfortably on her waist.

"So, you're excited?" she hesitantly asked.

Charlie kissed her neck. "Of course."

"It's just... you loved working with dragons in Romania. Are you really okay with giving that up to be a simple Care of Magical Creatures professor?"

She knew him well enough to know he was rolling his eyes even as he pulled her closer. "Hermione, we discussed this when my old employer contacted me. We talked about what the best solution would be."

"I know, but I feel like you're giving up your dream job for me, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."

"Hermione..." he trailed off as he backed away from her in order to turn around.

She knew her troubled emotions showed in her eyes, but she didn't try to hide it. She could never hide anything from Charlie anyways.

He began again. "Hermione, I'm hoping I might be able to instill the same excitement about magical creatures that Professor Kettleburn instilled in me. I'm sure I'll love it. And yes, I might have enjoyed being a dragon handler, but that job means nothing to me compared to you and your happiness, and I know you wouldn't be happy leaving everyone you know and love. You are the most important thing to me. Not a job. And I'll never regret accepting the Care of Magical Creatures position. In fact, I think I'll be very happy in it, especially since my favorite girl has been talked into taking the Transfiguration position."

Hermione laughed. "Professor McGonagall is very persuasive."

He cupped her cheek. "I know. So, no my doubts. I'm certain this is right for me, for _us_."

She nodded. "No more doubts." She paused. "You know, we're starting a whole new chapter in our lives."

"Yes, we all, and I'm sure it's a book I won't want to put down."

Before Hermione could reply, he claimed her lips in another toe-curling kiss. She sighed into it, clutching his shirt as the breeze picked up around them.

Yes, a whole new chapter, and she was sure she would love it.


End file.
